China's air pollution reaches 'dangerous' level

Flights have been cancelled due to the heavily polluted air surrounding central and northern China.

BEIJING - China has issued a yellow warning in the north of the country as air pollution has reached 'dangerous' levels, said the Chinese National Meteorological Administration.

Flights have been cancelled due to the heavily polluted air surrounding central and northern China and some motorways have also been closed to traffic due to heavy smog in the Shandong province.

In Beijing the concentration of PM2.5 particles, the pollutant particles including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets and no greater than 25 micrograms per cubic meter, rose to 364 micrograms.

Authorities advised people to stay home and wear face masks when going out.

China’s latest air pollution alert comes on the heels of a report by the World Health Organization which estimated seven million people died as a result of air pollution in 2012.